1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for beverages. Specifically, the present invention relates to a beverage container having a body composed of a rigid material and ends composed of a polymer film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Restaurants and especially fast food restaurants have a strong need for disposable containers for beverages. Disposable containers for beverages are numerous and have certain advantages and disadvantages. These beverage containers run the gamut from glass to polyester to fiberboard to aluminum. Most such containers are recyclable which mitigates the disposability aspect of such containers. However, storage of such containers on site, for example at a fast food restaurant, presents a problem due to the need for a large storage space depending on the container. Also, the desire of most fast food restaurants to use fountain dispensers instead of prepackaged beverage containers eliminates containers such as aluminum cans from meeting the needs of these fast food restaurants. Another desire of fast food restaurants is to allow the fast food restaurant employee perform several tasks related to a customer's order while a beverage is being prepared for the customer which eliminates containers incapable of maintaining an open filling state without the assistance of an employee.
Stackable fiberboard cups have been the most popular solution to a fast food restaurant's needs, however, storage of the cups requires sufficient space in the tight confines of the "kitchen" of a fast food restaurant. Other solutions such as flexible pouches do not meet the open filling state requirement thereby occupying the time of a fast food employee at the beverage dispenser.
There still remains a need for a beverage container which occupies a minimal space during storage, is capable of maintaining an open filling state, and is large enough to contain a family size volume of beverage for transport from a fast food restaurant to a customer's work or home.